U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush visit the retired, historic World War II battleship Missouri (BB63) with Commander U. S. Pacific Command, Adm. Thomas B. Fargo, following a tour of the ship. The Missouri is permanently docked in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. President Bush stopped in Hawaii on his way back from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in Thailand, the Philippines, Japan, Singapore, and Bali where he discussed security and the continued fight against terrorism. Photo by PH2 Jason L. Jacobowitz, USN

Capt. Wayne Radloff, Commanding Officer, U.S. Naval Air Facility Misawa, Japan, pounds rice into a cake during a Japanese Mochi Ceremony traditionally celebrated during the New Year. The U.S. and Japan are close allies in the region and in the Global War on Terrorism, sharing over 50 years of cooperation under their mutual defense treaty. Photo by PH1 John Collins, USN

U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld and Republic of Korea (ROK) Minister of National Defense Cho Yong-kil shake hands at the beginning of the annual Security Consultative Meeting in Seoul, ROK, in November 2003. Photo by TSgt. Andy Dunaway, USAF

Two Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) sergeants observe a demonstration of U.S. avionics machinery by a U.S. Air Force staff sergeant during a Bilateral Noncommissioned Officer Exchange at Komatsu Air Base, Japan. Similar bilateral exchanges took place in support of JASDF deployments to Iraq. Photo by SSgt. Karen J. Tomasik, USAF

More than 560 runners participated in the 23rd annual Japan-U.S. Friendship Kujyukushima Road Race at Nimitz Park, Sasebo, Japan. This event included five different age categories and various distances ranging from 2 kilometers to 10 kilometers. Photo by PH1 Marvin Harris, USN

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo greets U.S. Air National Guard engineers during the ground-breaking ceremony for the repair of the runway at Fort Magsaysay Airport in Nueva Ecija, Philippines, on 21 January 2004. A Philippine-U.S. Military Construction Task Group, known as Task Force Magsaysay, will complete the repairs by July 2004. President Macapagal-Arroyo said, “this airport will be used not only by soldiers, but also by passengers and products of Nueva Ecija. This is one way to create more jobs here in Nueva Ecija. This airport will move the north and east of Nueva Ecija closer to trade and industry.”. Photo by SSgt. Nathan L. Hanks, USMC

The Australian Chief of Defence Force, Gen. Peter Cosgrove, and the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Richard B. Myers, answer questions at a media conference during Gen. Myers’ visit to Canberra, Australia, in January 2004. Gen. Meyers also met with Minister for Defence Senator Robert Hill, Secretary of Defence Ric Smith, and the Chiefs of Service Committee. Photo courtesy of Commonwealth of Australia

Australian Defence Forces contribute actively to military and civil coalition activities in Iraq. Here, an Iraqi investigating judge is briefed by Australian Army Col. Mike Kelly from the Coalition Provisional Authority’s Office of General Council while aboard the Royal Australian Navy frigate HMAS Newcastle (FFG 06). The judge, along with representatives of Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, the Coalition Provisional Authority, and Commander, U.S. Joint Task Force Seven, visited vessels detained in Iraqi territorial waters to adjudicate smuggling cases. Coalition naval forces have conducted maritime intercept operations in the Arabian Gulf since 1990. Recent intercept operations have focused on stemming the flow of contraband goods. Photo by JO2 Denny Lester, USN

Ricardo Endaya, Chargé d’Affaires of the Philippine diplomatic mission to Iraq, greets U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr. during a visit to the Coalition Provisional Authority. Introducing the two senior diplomats is Col. Layug, head of the Philippine Army troops in the Philippine contingent to the international peacekeeping force in Iraq. Official U.S. Department of Defense photo